Interim
Joint Committee on

Economic
Development and Tourism

Minutes
of the<MeetNo1>4th Meeting

of the 2006 Interim

<MeetMDY1>November 16, 2006

The<MeetNo2>4th meeting of the Interim Joint
Committee on Economic Development and Tourism was held on<Day>Thursday,<MeetMDY2>November
16, 2006, at<MeetTime>1:00 PM, in<Room>Room 154 of the Capitol Annex. Representative
Eddie Ballard, Co-Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called
the roll.

A motion and second made by Representatives Harper and Smith
to approve the October 19, 2006, minutes was approved by voice vote.

Ms. Deborah Stigall, the Transportation Cabinet's Executive
Director of the Office of Special Programs, and Ms. Tiffani Jackson, Bicycle
and Pedestrian Coordinator provided an overview of what the Cabinet does to
promote bicycling in the Commonwealth. Ms. Stigall said that the Cabinet
places emphasis upon bicycle safety initiatives, such as using the
Transportation Enhancement Program to construct sidewalks within a two-mile
radius of all elementary and secondary schools. The Office of Special Programs
is also interested in maximizing efficiency by seeking ways in which programs
may be designed to be complementary.

Mr. Wally Pagan with Southbank Partners gave a DVD
presentation on waterfront developments along the Ohio and Licking Rivers in
northern Kentucky. These developments are designed to dovetail with the
recently completed Northern Kentucky Aquarium and Newport on the Levee. The
DVD presentation illustrated a variety of apartment, condominium, retail and
office developments, as well as the usage of bicycle and pedestrian trails to
connect these developments with surrounding communities within Kentucky and
Cincinnati. Mr. Pagan said that local, state, and federal funds are being
leveraged and used for transportation enhancements.

Dr. Barry Zalph, Executive Director
of the non-profit organization "Bicycling for Louisville," gave an
overview of the importance of bicycling and transportation enhancements
designed to assist and promote safe bicycling. He said that bicycling can
offer potential solutions to traffic problems while simultaneously reducing
problems associated with poor physical health and obesity. Mr. Zalph
noted that too often bicycles are viewed as toys or as something having
second-class status to automobiles, but that in actuality bicycles can become
an integral part of a solution to traffic congestion. He cautioned,
however, that highway signage and other safety-related features are very
important and needed throughout the Commonwealth. Mr. Zalph said that
educating bicyclists is also as important as educating drivers about the rights
and responsibilities of all highway users.

Captain Eric Walker, Commander of the Governor’s Highway
Safety Program, Kentucky State Police, gave a presentation on bicycle and
pedestrian accident data. The data showed, in part, that while there was an
overall decrease in bicycle and pedestrian injuries caused by collisions with
motorized vehicles, the fatality rate increased in 2005. He said that this was
a major concern, and that the State Police was working with other agencies and
local governments to provide better education and awareness programs, such as
the “Share the Road” program. Captain Walker said that bicycle helmet usage
was a key factor for bicycle safety. He called upon the General Assembly to
pass legislation requiring bicycle helmets for children under 16 years of age.
He also said that driver inattention was a key factor in causing accidents, and
that requiring bicycle riders to use flashing red lights when riding at night
or on roads having a posted speed limit greater than 35 miles per hour would
greatly reduce collisions.

Ms. Wendy Trimble, owner of Pedal the Planet bicycle shop,
Lexington, gave a presentation on the importance of bicycle trails, trail
development, and bicycle tours to the state’s tourism economy. Citing data
from a variety of states and localities, she provided materials showing the
positive economic impact of bicycling and encouraged committee members to
support the development of bicycle trails. Ms. Trimble noted that Kentucky
ranks near the bottom of all states in railtrail development. She also
encouraged the development of “Share the Road” signage and said that it was an
effective mechanism for reminding drivers to be alert for bicyclists.

Ms. Wendy Carlin, program coordinator for the Obesity
Prevention Program, Cabinet for Health and Human Services, gave a presentation
on her office’s mission to help alleviate the rapidly escalating problem of
obesity in Kentucky. Ms. Carlin presented slides showing that Kentucky
traditionally has one of the nation’s highest rates of childhood obesity. She
used a model developed by the Center for Disease Control to illustrate how
confronting the epidemic of obesity requires a multifaceted approach, beginning
with individual initiative and responsibility and going through public policies
designed to confront the epidemic on a societal level. She used the example of
tobacco usage to show how a concerted effort on many fronts can effectively
reduce harmful behavior. Ms. Carlin said that encouraging physical activity is
not only a highly effective way to reduce obesity, but that by doing so, other
physical and psychological health problems are simultaneously addressed.

The meeting closed with a presentation by Ms. Monica
Froedge, a parent volunteer from the group “Save Our Summers.” Information was
presented showing that when the school calendar is moved to earlier in August,
that it also has the effect of reducing economic activity in the state,
particularly in the tourism industry. She said that the group does not seek to
reduce the number of educational days in a school calendar, but the group does seek
to have a statewide uniform school opening date that begins after Labor Day. Ms.
Froedge said that several other states have done this, and that one result has
been increased economic activity in the state. She said that the group is new
to Kentucky, but that they are working with other groups throughout the nation
to gather information on this initiative.